1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for logging into an image forming apparatus and the like by means of a wearable computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent years have seen the widespread use of computers that are worn or carried on a human body for use. Such computers are called “wearable computers”, “wearable terminals”, or the like.
In general, one wearable computer is possessed and used by one user. Thus, the wearable computer is not so designed to be used properly by a plurality of users. For example, the wearable computer is not so designed that users can set their individual user accounts therein.
Further, such a wearable computer sometimes uses a so-called biometric authentication technology. The “biometric authentication” is a function to verify the authenticity of each user based on his/her physical characteristics (biometric information).
For example, the Nymi Band (registered trademark) by Nymi Inc. is a wristband-shaped wearable computer that is worn around user's wrist for use. The Nymi Band analyzes a user's unique electrocardiogram to authenticate the identity of the user through the biometric information (Non-Patent Document: Websites by Mash Media Inc., “Techable”; and “Nymi, biometric authentication band using heartbeat, is released to consumers this autumn” searched on Mar. 2, 2016 at http://techable.jp/archives/18291.)
The biometric authentication technology includes the following technology. A biological information collection system includes: a biological information measurement device measuring biological information; a biological information collection device authenticating a measurement-target subject depending on attribute information and also collecting the biological information measured by the biological measurement device to correlate the attribute information and the collected biological information; and a management device acquiring the attribute information and the biological information which are correlated with each other, from the biological information collection device, and holding the biological information in correlation with personal information enabling the measurement-target subject to be identified (English abstract of Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2015-150375).
An authentication apparatus detects fingerprints (biometric information authenticating a person) from a fingerprint sensor, heart rate signals (biometric information authenticating a worn site) from heart rate signal detection electrodes, and the wearing state of a band from the band in such a manner as overlapping at least a part of the detection periods. When all of the three items are authenticated, the authentication apparatus authenticates the user as a registered user. This authentication apparatus can thus authenticate the person by making the user surely wear the authentication apparatus. The authentication apparatus monitors the connecting state and the length of the band after authenticating the person so as to prevent the detachment of the authentication apparatus from the body with the user held authenticated (English abstracts of Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 2008-073462 and 2008-073461).
An individual authentication device includes: a pulse detection part for detecting contact with a human body; a fingerprint detection sensor for detecting fingerprint information; a RAM for storing the fingerprint information of a specified person; and a control part for discriminating whether or not the fingerprint information detected by the fingerprint detection sensor and the fingerprint information stored in the RAM match on condition that the pulse detection part is in contact with the human body and authenticating the person who brought the human body detection part into contact with his own body and made the fingerprint detection sensor detect the fingerprint information as the specified person in the case that the respective pieces of the information match (English abstract of Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-006824).
Image forming apparatuses have come into widespread use which have various functions of copying, network printing, faxing, scanning, and file server. Such an image forming apparatus is generally called a “multifunction device” or a “Multi-Functional Peripheral (MFP)”. Such an image forming apparatus is shared by users in the office or the like.
The following technology has been proposed as a technology for sharing the image forming apparatus by users.
An MFP stores a job registered from a PC. A job for proxy printing is included in such jobs. With respect to a job for proxy printing, a user who has registered the job (owner user) and a user who is permitted to print the job (permitted user) are registered in the MFP. Then, when a permitted user logs in, if a job including the user as its permitted user is registered, that effect is notified in the MFP (English abstract of Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2013-084179).
An image forming system comprises an image forming apparatus, a requester cellular phone, and a proxy cellular phone. The image forming apparatus includes: a storage section for storing authentication information and printing data; an engine section for performing printing based on the printing data; an obtaining section for obtaining identification information; and an authenticating section for performing authentication by comparing the authentication information with the identification information. The requester cellular phone for proxy printing transmits proxy request data indicating the printing data to be subjected to the proxy printing and the identification information of the requester cellular phone; The proxy cellular phone that has received the proxy request data transmits the proxy request data and the identification information of the requester cellular phone and the proxy cellular phone to the obtaining section. The image forming apparatus having the storage section in which the printing data indicated by the proxy request data exists, compares each of the identification information of the requester cellular phone and the identification information of the proxy cellular phone with the authentication information, and when authenticating that each of both information has use authority, performs printing based on the printing data indicated by the proxy request data (English abstract of Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2012-159984).
An image forming apparatus which can be operated by authenticating an operator is equipped with control means having a function to determine whether to entrust operation based on both result of the authentication by the trustee and a result obtained by reading a substitution sheet by the authenticated entrust when the user entrusts the operation to other person (English abstracts of Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 2008-225486 and 2004-276271).
Further, the following technology has been proposed as a technology for securely sending/receiving data between devices.
A terminal device including a function for transmitting a file with a digital signature by mail comprises: a first communication unit 101 for executing communication with a terminal used by an approver when a distance from the terminal has been equal to or shorter than a predetermined distance; an acquisition unit 102 for acquiring a value which is encrypted by encryption processing executed using information communicated with the terminal device and is obtained from a file of a transmission target; and a transmission instruction unit 302 for outputting an instruction to transmit the acquired and encrypted value and the file by mail (English abstract of Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2014-121034).
As described above, wearable computers are often not designed on the assumption that a plurality of users share one wearable computer.
However, it is sometimes desired to share such a wearable computer securely by a plurality of users.
Suppose that, for example, an image forming apparatus becomes available in an office in response to the authenticity of a user verified with a wearable computer. In such an office, an employee who has forgotten to carry his/her wearable computer sometimes would like to borrow a wearable computer from another employee to use the image forming apparatus.
In such an office, an employee who does not possess a wearable computer, for example, a visiting employee or a temporary employee, sometimes would like to borrow a wearable computer from another employee to use the image forming apparatus.
Even when the employee borrows a wearable computer from another employee, he/she cannot use the wearable computer because biometric authentication is not successfully performed.